Single-wire electric railway



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

l J. C. HENRY.4

SINGLE WIRE ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 20, 1896 {No Modl.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. C. HENRY. SINGLE WIRE ELECTRIC RALWAY.

No. 569,827. Patented 00's. 20, 1896.

(No new.) 3 sheets-sheet s.

l J. G. HENRY.

SINGLE WIRE ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 569,827. Patented 001;. 20, 1896.

UNITED STATESy PATENT Orricn.

JOHN C. HENRY, OF lVESTFlELD, NET JERSEY.

SING LE-WlRE ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,82*?, dated October 20, 1896.

Application tiled August 27, 1892. Serial No. 444,309.

(No model.)

To /LZZ wmm. it may; concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. HENRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westfield, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Imrov'enients in Single-Wire Electric Railways, of which the following is a speciiication.

illy invention relates to electric railways, and its objects are to simplify the construction of the conductors and traveling` contacts in overhead lines and to do away with many of the parts now used.

In ordinarypractice it is customary to support the trolley-wires by suspending them from span-wires, which are stretched under great tension between pairs of poles planted Opposite each other. This brings a severe lateral strain upon the poles, which necessitates their being large and heavy. Moreover, two line-wires are required for a double track, and these with the other wires and heavy poles make an unsightly structure. My invention aims to improve all this by using smaller and lighter poles placed alternately on opposite sides oi the roadway and connecting them by a single span-wire which crosses the road diagonally in a zigzag line. A single working conductor is supported by this span-wire and runs centrally between the double tracks. The traveling cont-acts or trolleys on the cars project laterally and bear against the side of the conductor.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view taken transverse to a double track, showing two cars operated by my single working conductor. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of track. Figs. 3 and 4 show modified forms of contacts.

The two tracks of a double road are represented at A and A', a car B B' being shown cn each track. The poles C are staggered, that is, they are set alternately on opposite sides of the roadway. The poles may be of any suitable pattern and are small and light.

A single span-Wire D runs from pole to pole, zigzagging diagonally across the roadway. It is made of some hard and good conducting material, such as drawn copper or a steel core overlaid with copper. It is thoroughly insulated from the poles in order to serve as a feeder to the trolley-wire, to which it is electrically connected, either permanently or by Lshown in Fig. l, or the means of switches at intervals, so that it can be disconnected therefrom when necessary. Suitable devices may be used for taking up the slack and regulating the tension of the span-wire.

The single working conductor or trolleywire E is suspended from the diagonal lengths of the span-wire and is arranged centrally between the two tracks A A', so that it is common to both. Any suitable suspending devices may be used, preferably an insulator F, having a hanger f, the span-wire being electrically connected with the trolley-wire by a short branch wire d. The trolley-wire may be of any desired cross-section, but is preferably round, as shown.

The traveling contact is carried on a trolley-arm G, preferably made of spring metal, and either single or double. It is rigidly attached to an upright standard G, rotatably mounted in bearings g', on the car. The arm projects laterally and is somewhat lon ger than the space between the standard and the trolley-wire, so as to trail along said wire and readily adapt itself to variationsof the car and trolley-wire from their normal positions. At the end of the arm is attached a vertical bar g, adapted to move alongside of the Wire E, and of sufficient length to provide for all possible sagging of the wire below a horizontal line and all vertical oscillations of the carbody. The contact may be made by the bar itself rubbing against the side of the wire, as

bar may carry a trolley H, arranged to revolve on the bar and to Vslide axially thereon, or the bar may Carry a vertically-sliding block I, either with or without a groove to tit the wire. The anges of the trolley H and grooved block Ido not project beyond the central vertical plane of the wire E, so that when two cars pass each other the contacts do not interfere. The trolley and block slide up and down on the bar with the undulations of the trolley-wire.

When it is desired to run the car backward the trolley-arm is swung around to a reverse position by turning the standard G' by means of ahandle K, secured to the lower end of the standard above the head of the motorman and within easy reach. The standard can be rotated from the other end of the car Ioo by means of any suitable gearing, such as a handle K', connected with the handle K by a rod t.

The standard is preferably made in two parts hinged together at g2 and normally held in a vertical position by springs L,- but when it is desired to lower the traveling contact in order to pass under a bridge or throughalow doorway or the like the upper part of the standard can be pulled down by a cord M. Wherever this action can be predetern'iined, the top of the standard may engage with fixed guides to automatically depress the trolleyarm. Instead of being hinged the standard may be telescopic, or may be arranged to slide vertically in its bearings.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

l. An overhead electric railway, having two tracks and a single working conductor cornmon to both, of a zigzag feed and span wire, insulators supported by said feed and span wire, having hangers to support the working conductor, and branch wires connecting said conductor with the feed and span wire, sub,u stantially as described.

2. An electric railway,consisting of a double track with a flexible working conductor common to both, and cars provided with trailing reversible contact devices which travel uninterruptedly on said conductor with their respective cars on either track, substantially as described.

3. An electric railway,consisting of a double track with a flexible working conductor common to both, and cars provided with trailing reversible contacts which travel on said conductor with their respective cars on either track, and pass each other on said conductor without breaking contact therewith when moving in opposite directions, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a flexible working conductor, of trailing reversible contact devices adapted to travel in opposite directions on said conductor and to pass each other when meeting without breaking contact with said conductor, substantially as described.

5. rlhe combination with a double line of railway, and a flexible electrical conductor common to both tracks of said line of rail` way, of trailing reversible trolleys adapted to run on said electrical conductor, said trolleys being so constructed and arranged as to pass each other on said conductor without breaking contact therewith, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a double line of railway, and a iiexible electrical conductor common to both tracks of said line of railway, of trailing reversible trolleys which may travel in opposite directions on said conductor, and which may pass each other there on without breaking contact therewith, substantially as described.

7. In an electric railway, the combination with a flexible working conductor, of trailing reversible contacts adapted to travel in opposite directions thereon, and to pass each other when meeting without interfering, substantially as described.

S. In an 'electric railway, the combination with a flexible working conductor, of trailing reversible trolleys adapted to bear against opposite sides of said conductor so as to pass each other without interference when meeting, substantially as described.

9. In an electric railway, the combination with a wire working conductor, of trailing reversible trolleys adapted. to bear against said conductor from opposite sides, but not project beyond the vertical central plane thereof, so as to pass each other without interference when meeting, substantially as described.

l0. In a double-track electric railway, the combination with a single-wire working condnctor common to both tracks, of cars carrying laterally-projecting trailing reversible trolley-arms, each arm having a vertical bar adjacent to said conductor, substantially as described.

1l. In a double-track electric railway, the combination with a single-wire working conductor common to both tracks, of cars carrying laterally-projecting trailing reversible trolley-arms, each arm having a vertical bar adjacent to said conductor, and a contactpiece adapted to slide vertically on said bar, substantially as described.

l2. The combination with an electric car, of a standard hinged thereon upon a transverse axis, and a trolley-arm projecting laterally from said standard, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a double-track electric railway, of a single working conductorsuspended between said tracks, and an electric car provided with an upright rotatable standard carrying a lateral trolley-arm projecting beyond the side of the car and adapted to be swung from one side to the other so as to be brought into contact with the working conductor when the car crosses over from one track to the other, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of August, 1892.

JOHN C. HENRY. lVitnesses:

JOHN M. C. MARSH, WM. W. GILBY.

IIO 

